Chalfie M, Thomson J N
J Cell Biol. 1979 Jul;82(1):278-89. doi: 10.1083/jcb.82.1.278.
We have studied the organization of microtubules in neurons of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Six neurons, which we call the microtubule cells, contain bundles of darkly staining microtubules which can be followed easily in serial-section electron micrographs. Reconstruction of individual microtubules in these cells indicate that most, if not all, microtubules are short compared with the length of the cell process. Average microtubule length varies characteristically with cell type. The arrangement of microtubules gives an overall polarity to each bundle: the distal ends of the microtubles are on the outside of the bundle, whereas the proximal ends are preferentially inside. The distal and proximal ends each have a characteristic appearance indicating that these microtubules may have a polarity of their own. Short microtubules in processes of other neurons in C. elegans have also been observed.
我们研究了秀丽隐杆线虫神经元中微管的组织情况。我们将六个神经元称为微管细胞，它们含有成束的深色微管，在连续切片电子显微镜照片中很容易追踪到这些微管。对这些细胞中单个微管的重建表明，与细胞突起的长度相比，大多数（如果不是全部的话）微管都很短。平均微管长度因细胞类型而异。微管的排列赋予每个微管束一个整体极性：微管的远端在束的外侧，而近端则优先在束的内侧。远端和近端各有一个特征性外观，表明这些微管可能有自身的极性。在秀丽隐杆线虫其他神经元的突起中也观察到了短微管。
